By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
CHINATOWN — A woman working alone in a florist shop fended off an attacker who tried to sexually assault her in the store Wednesday afternoon, police said.
The 47-year-old woman was working in the Ming Lai Florist about 11:30 a.m. when the man walked in and tried to attack her, said 5th Precinct Deputy Inspector Gin Yee.
The man threw her the the ground and tried to drag her into a rear storage room before fleeing, police said.
"She kicked him off and he ran into the park," Yee said, referring to Columbus Park.
A witness, who asked to be identified by his first name Steve, was standing across the street at a convenience store when he saw the man run out of the florist shop.
"She was screaming her lungs out. If I'd have known this was serious, I would have gone after him," said Steve, 40.
The victim was brought to a nearby hospital where she was treated.
Police and witnesses described the alleged attacker as a black man in his 20s, wearing a grey or brown hooded sweatshirt with an "S" on it, a yellow and green Oakland A's hat, dark sneakers and carrying a giant backpack.
"Most of the time she's by herself," said Amy Chan Mak, the sister of the florist shop's owner.
"She's so scared."
